Black Gold
I happened to receive a copy of Business Week in the mail this week. . Not a regular subscription, but apparently the address change snagged someone else's mail (I wonder if the Smiths and the Joneses have as much trouble with this as we Wilsons?) . I intend to contact the USPS forthwith, but I did take the opportunity to read the cover story "Why YOU should worry about big Oil".
The article, geared towards the capitalist, basically explained that the difficulty that the Oil companies face, in spite of recent windfall profits, is that the worldwide oil reserves, which were once available on the free market of the world economy, have, in the past 10 or so years, become more and more exclusively relegated to National Oil Company Reserves. That is to say, that Oil Companies that are exclusively connected with the government of a country rather than a private corporation. This relegation of Oil reserves has prevented the large American and European Oil Companies from buying as much as they want.
This is GOOD for the countries maintaining reserves. . .In countries such as Saudi Arabia where Gas is under $1 a gallon, or Venezuela, where president Hugo Chavez uses the profits that the country receives to fight poverty, improve medical care, and fund education. It is BAD for the major oil companies, as it limits the amount of product they can distribute, insuring that the only way to increase profits (which IS, after all the function of a corporation) is to increase PRICES. You and I feel this every time we go to the gas pump.
The juxtaposition is not lost on me. Saudi Arabia remains one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and while one may criticize the nation for limiting rights and privileges to those who are Islamic, those who DO reap the rewards of citizenship do very well. Likewise, in Venezuela, Chavez has significantly decreased poverty since he has been in power. The entire nation is benefiting from his policies.
In America, things are not quite so peachy. The return on the multi-BILLION dollar oil industry only benefits a very few, select people. These people live lives of extravagant wealth, while the rest of America just has to muddle on by. Our inner cities remain the equivalent of third world countries, the middle class continues to shrink, and the economy, which remains entirely dependent upon petroleum for it's production and logistics needs, shudders every time there is a hiccup amongst the oil producers. The individual consumer does not benefit from this dependence upon petroleum, and with gasoline estimated to hit $3 to $4 a gallon this year, all we do is suffer.
It really makes you wonder who the good guys and the bad guys really are, doesn't it? Couple this capitalistic selfishness with a governmental economic policy that supports these select few and overlooks the needs of the common man, and it makes you really wonder what IS actually going on doesn't it?
About a year ago, I penned the following lyrics, related to the support of the Totalitarian Regime of Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea by the US Government and the major American Oil Companies:
Black Gold
From
We come for your treasures
Disregard your hunger
Fueling our pleasures
Black Gold is flowing thru our veins
Fount of every first world blessing
The bane of those we are oppressing
How can we ever clean the stain?
Politicians and CEOs
Funding tribal warlords
Countless people live on dirt
Then give their lives to the sword
Black Gold is flowing thru our veins
Fount of every first world blessing
The bane of those we are oppressing
How can we ever clean the stain?
Far away I hear the scream
Goodbye, American Dream
FreedomÂs nothing what it seems
Black Gold reigns supreme
Black Gold sets the world in motion
Black Gold is flowing thru our veins
Fount of every first world blessing
The bane of those we are oppressing
How can we ever clean the stain?
Will we ever clean the stain?
Black Gold, bloodshed all the same
What can we do to change it?
posted by Thomas J. at 5/11/2006 08:46:00 PM
9 Comments:
Hey Thomas.
I don't say much, but I always like to visit and read your blog. What you say here is very close to my heart too. In fact it is the thing. We're tearing the planet apart with our greed. God help us all.
Leo
Thank you Leo. . .it is always good to hear from you. . .yes, I am really scared of the implications of the actions of our corporations and our government. . .no one seems to be in the business of taking care of the world.
It is funny that our so-called "Christian" Nation remains so firmly entrenched in the cult of Mammon. Do you see the same sort fo thing down under?
Well, yeah.
Seems almost identical, even though we never built on the same christian tradition. I think alot of it is fear. The fear that if we don't hang on to stuff with a grip that turns our knuckles white then someone will take or cheat us out of it.
It is to our shame. Our nations have turned their backs on Africa, locked into so much debt, crippled by AIDS and corrupt governments.
We are reaping the wind . . .
regards
Leo
I like those lyrics, Thomas. Nice job.
thanks, Jacki. . .the song was written in collaboration with J.R. Mounts for the band I sang in last year.
You can hear a rough demo of it right here:
http://www.thomasjwilson.com/Archives.html
It is our intention include a new version, with a slightly different arrangement on the new album.
Hey Thomas?
Did you see anything of John Howard on the news during his visit to Washington. It just seemed to go on and on here. I was wonder ing if made any impact on the local news.
They seemed to spend alot of time congradulating each other about Iraq. Did I miss something? I thought things were going pretty badly?
Regards
Leo
No. . i generally read the morning papaer. . .i tend to curse out loud alot less. . this is important with the kids around. . .but i didn't notice anything about his visit. . .but yes, they do maintain this huge idea that things are all peachy there, and that they have established democracy over there.
For as much of an SOB as Hussein was, he was at least a VERY strong ruler, and maintained order in a very divisive and fragmented country. . .i think that it was not very good planning to remove the man from power without a good, solid, plan for how order was going to be maintained afterwards.
I know it's easy to be critical. But I too think we should have left Hussein there and invested the vast billions that we have spent on running our militaries in a UN backed Weapons monitoring, plus humanitarian aid to places like Palestine . . . well . . . I'd feel alot better.
Leo
Yeah, me too. . .but without the Millions of dollars of corporate backing, I guess I will never get elected President.
And unfortunately, all of my letters and emails to senators and the president are replied with "thank you so much for your opinion, your thoughts are very important to us". blah blah blah. . .so much for mY voice in government. . .2008 can't get here soon enough.
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